Archaeological research is a
process with many parts to it. Historical research, proposal
writing, mapping and soil study are early parts of this process.If an
excavation (digging) is required - often to save a site from being lost
to construction or damage - there are several other parts of the
process an archaeologist must undertake.

1. The site must be mapped. A point on the site is chosen as the datum.
This is a point that will not move. It is located using maps and
surveying equipment so that its NTS location and height in metres
above sea level (MASL) are known. All things on the site will be
measured from this point so that their location will be known too -
horizontally: usually east and south of the datum and vertically as a
DBD or depth below datum measurement.

2. A grid is laid out over the site, often in 1 metre x 1 metre squares
(though the size of the squares depends on the size of the site,
overall). This grid is both drawn on maps and physically placed
on the ground with stakes, nails or pins and string. At
underwater sites, a grid of metal rods is often used.

3. Once the site is mapped, the archaeologist can begin to remove the
soil in layers. The top layer may be very recent or all mixed
together (disturbed). The site survey will tell the archaeologist
this information. Sometimes, shovels or large, earth-moving
machines are used to remove recent or disturbed soil to reach the older
layers.

In the older layers of soil, archaeologists will dig very carefully,
using a trowel. The soil is taken away in layers across each
square. The walls and floor of the square is kept flat (without
holes or pits). Soil changes and artifacts can be noticed better
in this controlled way. Soil layers and the artifacts n them
won't be mixed together.

4. Anything the archaeologist finds is mapped and recorded in notes and
photographs.

5. Important artifacts are collected into bags to be numbered and
studied.

6. Soil that is removed from a site is usually passed through a screen
to find any evidence that may have been missed during excavation.

7. Artifacts are cleaned and labeled.

8. Drawings are done of artifacts, soil layers, walls or other features
found in squares.

9. Paperwork is completed to note information about the soil layers,
artifacts, features and work done at the site.

10. The archaeologists discuss the work they do each day; record this
in their field notes and plan how to continue the work.

Excavation stops when: -the goals in the research proposal have
been met,
-uninhabited soil is reached,
-the permit to excavate expires,
-conditions (weather, funding, politics) are too difficult to continue.

Archaeologists must be able to do, or understand the work of other
people who do many different types of work during the archaeological
process i.e.:

There are many other aspects of archaeological work to be
discussed. Excavation is only one part of the work of an
archaeologist. Often, for every minute of excavation, an
archaeologist will spend ten minutes doing other work in a laboratory
or writing about the work. The work after excavation is the
important work that makes sense of what was found and that preserves
the past for all of us. Without the work after excavation, the
digging would just be treasure hunting and the information from it
would be lost forever. This kind of work will be discussed in the
next chapter.

QUESTIONS

1. What is a datum?

2. Why does an archaeologist use a grid pattern to map things on a site?

3. Name two ways an archaeologist can excavate on a site and explain
why each is used.

4. How does an archaeologist know when an excavation is finished?

5. What other work does an archaeologist have at an excavation, besides
digging?

6. Why is the work that happens after excavation so important?

GOALS

to note the many parts of the
archaeological process up to and including excavation
to emphasize the many skills and parts required in the archaeological
process

OBJECTIVES

Knowledge
-demonstrate knowledge of the stages of the archaeological process and
their order

Skills
-map points using an x,y co-ordinate grid map
-use pictorial evidence to make deductions
-work as part of a team to complete a task

Attitudes
-note the value of (scientific) archeological research as compared to
treasure hunting

VOCABULARY

datum
-a known, immovable, locatable point on an archaeological
site from which everything is measured and mapped. This point
helps locate every point on a site map, horizontally across the land
and vertically, above sea level
DBD
-depth below datum - is a measurement below the datum on
an archaeological site. It is usually used to plot the vertical
location of artifacts, features or soil layers in individual square
units, then changed to a measurement above sea level for records

excavation -the careful removal of archaeological evidence from the
ground or water by licensed or permitted archaeologists

feature -an immovable object created by people, or the result of
an event of activity e.g. a wall, a trench, a soil stain from a
decomposed post

MASL -metres above sea level. Sea level is the point at
which the ocean meets the shore. It is taken as a known, fixed
point from which the height and depth of all points on Earth are
measured

Instruct each student to
place several items on his/her desk or table. Give each student a
ruler or measuring tape.
Students should map the items on graph paper by measuring from the top
left corner of the desk (the datum).

The students should remove the items from their desk and give their map
to a partner.

The partner places the objects back on the desk using the map as a
reference.

Cut up into individual
squares, the gridded map of a hypothetical site, from this publication.
Divide the class into groups. Give each group:
1) one or two of the squares from the map
2) the page of artifact
co-ordinates from this publication.
Ask students to plot the artifact locations (this will not be
possible). Discuss why the task cannot be done without knowing the
location of the squares on the site.

Have groups work together to a) order the squares into a site map,
b) plot artifact locations.

Students should read the
information pages that introduce this chapter.

Provide groups of students with copies of the photographs from this
book that show the parts of the archaeological process. Students should
place the photographs in chronological order i.e.
1. test pit survey
2. screening dirt
3. photographing unit
4. cataloguing artifacts
5. drawing artifacts
6. discussing work.
Students should give reasons for their ordering.

EVALUATIVE STRATEGIES

Junior

Intermediate

Extension

Provide students with a
grid like the one in this publication. Students may draw 3 or 4
artifacts from a culture under study in class (e.g. First Nations,
ancient Asian) onto the grid.

With a partner, students may play a game like "Battleship", calling out
co-ordinates to locate the artifacts on the site. The score of
artifacts located in a given time may serve as a formative marking
scheme.

In the field notes the
students have been keeping they should record their initial impressions
of the distribution of artifacts on the site map.
Are there patterns to the distribution?
Do the patterns suggest any human behaviour?

Ask students to fill out a
job application for work on an archaeological site. They should
include:
1) skills they have that are applicable to archaeological work,
2) the kind of archaeological work for which they feel they would be
best suited, and why.

DISCUSSION

Junior

Intermediate, Extension

The
class should discuss
a) why it is not helpful if someone digs into an archeological site
just to pull out an artifact,

b) what they could say or do if someone came to them with an artifact
they had gotten that way.

The class should discuss
what their reaction could/should be if they were to see a person with a
metal detector, or an unlicensed diver take an artifact from an
archaeological site. How would their response differ if the
person were
a) a stranger,
b) a friend?
Why?